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Identification Guide

Depression glass patterns.
How to identify what you have.

A field guide to the major Depression glass patterns — what to look for, how the colors rank for value, and how to distinguish patterns that look alike.

Pattern Guide

The major Depression glass patterns

Depression glass was produced in the United States primarily between 1929 and the early 1940s by a handful of glass factories — Hocking, Federal, Jeannette, MacBeth-Evans, Indiana, and others. The pieces were inexpensive when new, often given away as premiums with purchases or included in cereal boxes. Today, most Depression glass still has modest value, but specific patterns in specific colors have become genuinely collectible. Pattern identification is the starting point for every evaluation.

Royal Lace

Royal Lace is one of the most sought-after Depression glass patterns. It was produced by Hazel-Atlas from 1934 to 1941 in green, pink, clear, and cobalt blue. The pattern features intricate lace-like scrollwork around the rim and a delicate raised design on the base. Cobalt blue Royal Lace is the tier-one combination — pieces regularly bring $75 to $400 for common forms and $500 to $2,000+ for rare forms like cookie jars, pitchers with matching tumblers, and butter dishes with lids.

Cameo (Ballerina)

Cameo was made by Hocking Glass from 1930 to 1934. It features a central image of a dancing figure (the "ballerina") surrounded by geometric bands and decorative swags. Cameo was produced primarily in green, with smaller quantities in pink, yellow, and clear. Yellow Cameo is less common than the green and can be meaningfully more valuable. Rare forms — pitchers, cookie jars, and child-sized pieces — bring premium prices even in common colors.

Cherry Blossom

Cherry Blossom was produced by Jeannette Glass from 1930 to 1939. It features clusters of cherries and blossoms with leaves arranged in repeating groups around the piece. Colors include pink, green, delphite (opaque blue-green), jadeite, and red. Red Cherry Blossom is one of the rarest Depression glass colors and pieces routinely sell for hundreds to thousands of dollars. Delphite (opaque blue-green) is also less common and brings strong prices. Reproductions of Cherry Blossom are common — authentic pieces have specific characteristics a specialist can confirm.

Mayfair (Open Rose)

Mayfair, also called Open Rose, was made by Hocking Glass from 1931 to 1937. It features a repeating rose-and-vine motif around the border with a central rose on plates and bowls. Mayfair was produced primarily in pink, with smaller runs in green, blue, and rare amethyst. Pink Mayfair is the most common color but remains collectible, particularly for large serving pieces. Green and amethyst Mayfair are much rarer and can bring strong prices.

American Sweetheart

American Sweetheart was made by MacBeth-Evans from 1930 to 1936. It features a delicate swag-and-flower border pattern. Colors include pink, Monax (opaque white), Cremax (cream), ruby red, and cobalt blue. Red American Sweetheart is among the most valuable Depression glass colors — single plates can sell for $200 to $400. Monax with platinum trim is also sought after. Common pink American Sweetheart has modest value.

Princess

Princess was produced by Hocking Glass from 1931 to 1935. It features a distinctive paneled base with a geometric rose-and-lattice design that repeats around the piece. Colors include pink, green, yellow (topaz), and blue. Blue Princess is the rarest color and brings premium prices. Complete cookie jars, candy dishes with lids, and pitchers are the strong-value forms.

Madrid, Patrick, Florentine, Manhattan

These patterns sit in the middle-to-common tier. Madrid (Federal Glass, 1932-1939) features a dense geometric scrollwork pattern and was produced primarily in amber. Patrick features pears and leaves; it was made in yellow and pink. Florentine Numbers 1 and 2 (Hazel-Atlas) have poppies on the border. Manhattan (Hocking, 1938-1943) is a geometric ribbed pattern with a distinctive clean, modern look. Common colors in these patterns typically sell for a few dollars per piece. Rare forms and rare colors within them can bring meaningful prices.

The color hierarchy

Across most Depression glass patterns, the color hierarchy runs roughly like this. Top tier: cobalt blue, ruby red, amethyst (purple), jadeite, delphite, Monax (opaque white), and any unusual opaque color. Middle tier: pink and green — these were the most common "collectible" colors and a solid pink or green rare-form piece still brings meaningful prices. Common tier: yellow (topaz), amber, clear crystal, and ultramarine. These were produced in the largest volumes and survive in abundance.

Distinguishing similar patterns

Some patterns look alike at a glance and are easy to confuse. Cameo and Princess both have central geometric designs in green and pink, but Cameo has a dancing figure while Princess has a pure geometric rose-and-lattice. Madrid and Sylvan both have scrollwork, but Madrid's is denser. Mayfair and Open Rose are the same pattern under two names. Cherry Blossom and Cherry Blossom reproductions can be distinguished by mold quality and color saturation. When in doubt, a clear photo sent to a specialist resolves most identification questions in minutes.

Quick Reference

Photo Tip

Photograph the full piece from above (to capture the pattern) and from the side (to capture the form). A third close-up of the border motif helps pattern identification. Natural daylight shows true color — artificial light can distort pink, green, and amber tones. If you have multiple pieces, photograph them together to establish the set.

An Honest Take

What usually isn't valuable

Most Depression glass in estates falls into common categories with modest resale value. Setting expectations early prevents disappointment.

Common patterns in common colors

Amber Madrid, crystal Manhattan, clear Florentine, and yellow Princess were produced in enormous volumes. Plates, cups, and small bowls in these combinations typically sell for $2 to $8 each. Complete sets often sell for less than $100 on the secondary market. Scarcity drives value in Depression glass, and these combinations are not scarce.

Damaged pieces in any pattern

Chips, cracks, cloudiness, and dishwasher haze all dramatically reduce value. Even rare patterns in rare colors lose most of their value when damaged. A flawless common piece will outsell a damaged rare piece. Depression glass condition is checked carefully — run a finger along every rim and examine the surface under good light before concluding a piece is valuable.

Reproductions sold as originals

Several popular Depression glass patterns — Cherry Blossom, Madrid, Miss America — have been reproduced since the 1970s. Reproductions can be convincing but have subtle differences in weight, color saturation, mold quality, and detail sharpness. A reproduction marked as original has almost no secondary-market value. If the piece was purchased new after the 1970s, check whether it is an original or a reissue.

Single orphan pieces

Individual plates, cups, or tumblers from a pattern with no matching pieces have limited demand. Collectors of Depression glass typically want to complete sets, so a single piece sells for less than it would as part of a six-piece or twelve-piece grouping. Rare forms like cookie jars and pitchers are exceptions — they sell well individually because they complete collections already in progress.

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Common Questions

Frequently asked about Depression glass patterns

Pattern identification starts with the motif on the surface. Look for repeating decorative elements — flowers, fruits, geometric shapes, figures, swags — and note where they appear on the piece. Check for pressed or molded designs on both sides of plates and inside bowls. Many patterns have a signature element: Cherry Blossom has cherry clusters, Cameo features a dancing figure, Mayfair has a rose-and-vine border. Photograph the piece from above and the side in good light. Reference photos in specialty guides or online databases help match the pattern to a documented name.
The top-value patterns are Royal Lace (especially in cobalt blue), Cherry Blossom (particularly in red or rare forms), American Sweetheart (red or Monax white with platinum trim), Mayfair (pink or rare amethyst), Cameo (also called Ballerina), and Princess. Rare forms within these patterns — pitchers, cookie jars, butter dishes with original lids, children's sets — consistently bring the strongest prices. Common patterns like Madrid, Manhattan, and Florentine in standard colors typically sell for much less.
Cobalt blue and ruby red are the rarest colors across most patterns. Cobalt Royal Lace, red Cherry Blossom, and red American Sweetheart all command premium prices because so few pieces in these colors survived. Amethyst (deep purple), Jadeite green, black, and opaque colors like Monax white are also uncommon in specific patterns. Pink and green are the most abundant collectible colors. Yellow (topaz), amber, and clear crystal are the most common and typically the least valuable.
Cameo (also called Ballerina) features a central dancing figure in a flowing dress surrounded by geometric bands and swags. Princess has a distinctive paneled base with a geometric rose-and-lattice design that repeats around the piece — there is no figure. Both patterns were made primarily in green and pink. Cameo is usually attributed to Hocking Glass and was produced from 1930 to 1934. Princess was also made by Hocking, from 1931 to 1935. Side-by-side photo comparison with a pattern reference is the fastest way to confirm.
No. Most Depression glass found in estates has modest resale value. The bulk of what was produced — plates, cups, saucers, and small bowls in common colors and common patterns — sells for a few dollars per piece today. The strong-value pieces are rare forms (pitchers, cookie jars, butter dishes with lids), rare colors (cobalt, red, amethyst), and specific pattern-and-color combinations that collectors actively pursue. An honest photo evaluation will tell you whether your pieces fall into the valuable tier or the common tier.
Madrid is one of the most commonly encountered Depression glass patterns. It was produced by Federal Glass from 1932 to 1939 primarily in amber, with smaller quantities in pink, green, crystal, and blue. Iris and Herringbone, Manhattan, and Florentine (Numbers 1 and 2) are also frequently found. These patterns were made in enormous volumes for everyday use, and large quantities have survived in estates. Common pieces in common colors from these patterns typically sell for a few dollars each.